Abide With Me

Song Notes

words:
Henry Francis Lytle (1795-1847)

melody: Eventide, William Henry Monk (1823-1889)

This hymn has always been special to me. My mother sang it to me many times when I was a child. It’s so beautiful in its clean, spare way, and it’s odd to me now that when I was a boy I never thought of it as a sad song. I guess at that age I couldn’t have been aware of how it addresses the darkness and fear we all eventually face in this world. Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. Amen.